It has been a long week waiting for the big kick-off, but in a few hours, Scotland will finally get under way in Chisinau in a game which will determine our World Cup fate.
A couple of months ago it seemed unlikely we would be in that position, but the autumn has been good for Steve Clarke’s side.
In the wake of a disappointing Euro 2020, the national team resumed their campaign with defeat in Copenhagen, a result which left them with just one win in four matches and trailing both Israel and Austria.
The Austrians have since slipped out of the equation, our win in Vienna contributing to their collapse, and it is now a head-to-head shootout with the Israelis for the play-off place.
Given that they finish at home to the Faroes, Willi Ruttensteiner’s side know that if they beat Austria this evening, and the Scots slip up, then they are still in with a chance.
Clarke’s aim will be to ensure that does not happen.
He has spoken in the past few days of his belief in the squad and his conviction that the players have both the mentality and ability to back that up. Now it is up to them to prove it.
Their recent run does suggest they will be able to meet the challenge. Four straight victories, including beating both of their closest rivals, speaks volumes for the team, and three clean sheets during that sequence is a good sign for tonight. Given the national side’s scoring record, we may well need Craig Gordon to record another shutout in Moldova.
He will have been keen to find out who will be playing in front of him, and my choice would be his Hearts team-mate, John Souttar. The big man has been outstanding this season, and with Grant Hanley suspended, John is the clear candidate to step in between Hendry and Tierney.
Captain Andy Robertson will obviously be on the left; the other question mark regarding the defence is at right wingback. For me, Anthony Ralston should have been in the squad, and I would have played him this evening. Stephen O’Donnell has been out of form and Nathan Patterson has barely played, but I would expect the Rangers man to get the nod.
Callum McGregor and John McGinn will both feature in midfield, but Billy Gilmour hasn’t seen any first team action at Norwich since the last international break. He may be drafted in with Scott McTominay ruled out with a throat infection.
With Lyndon Dykes out, Ché Adams will surely lead the line. The big question is who will play alongside him, and given how the manager has been talking him up, there seems every likelihood that Jacob Brown will get an instant call.
Before the squad was announced, I had never heard of him, but he seems to be enjoying an impressive campaign with Stoke City, and having scored the winner last weekend for his club, is clearly in form.
It might be that Israel slip-up and we don’t need to win tonight, but a victory is a must if we are to move on and secure a seeded spot in the play-offs.
It would be no surprise if it’s another nerve-wracking 1-0, but that won’t matter just so long as we pull it off.
Pressure is on Caley Jags
With the Premiership taking a break, the spotlight tomorrow falls on the lower divisions, and it promises to be another intriguing afternoon right across the SPFL.
After four games without a win, it’s a big day for Caley Thistle as they host struggling Dunfermline. Having dropped from the top of the table, the pressure will be on for this one, and expectations high given the Fifers’ dismal run. It’s a game Inverness cannot really afford to slip-up in as they attempt to get the momentum going again.
My main interest will be in League One. The top four are separated by two points, the top six by just five, and it’s already looking as if it will go to the wire before any decisions are made.
If that is the case, every victory is crucial, and Cove Rangers will have to make home advantage count against Peterhead. I would expect them to do so, but given the other fixtures, it seems likely to be another tense 90 minutes in the promotion battle.